GLBT DIGEST October 20, 2007

**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.


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The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/19/AR2007101902235.html

Aligning Psyche and Sex
Methodists Meet to Evaluate Transgenderism, Starting With Baltimore Pastor

By Daniel Burke
Religion News Service
Saturday, October 20, 2007; B09

BALTIMORE

The Rev. Drew Phoenix is many things to many people.

To congregants of St. John's of Baltimore, he's the fun-loving pastor whocounsels them, takes their children hiking, explains Scripture and plungesinto worthy causes.

To conservative Methodists, Phoenix embodies another front in the culturewars: a rebel who has defied God and nature and should be removed fromministry.

To mainstream society, Phoenix is an enigma who transcends traditionalsexual boundaries, provoking uncomfortable questions about the interplaybetween body, mind and soul.

To the Judicial Council of the United Methodist Church, he's number IV onthe docket for its Oct. 24-27 session: "A Review of Bishop's Decision . . .Whether Transgendered Persons Are Eligible for Appointment in The UnitedMethodist Church."

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365Gay.coom

http://www.expressgaynews.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=14848

House committee approves gay-only ENDA
Baldwin has pledged trans amendment

from staff reports | Oct 18, 3:15 PM

The House Committee on Education & Labor today passed the EmploymentNon-Discrimination Act (ENDA), by a 27-21 vote, clearing the way for a fullHouse vote expected Tuesday.

The version passed was introduced by Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) and doesnot include a provision barring discrimination based on gender identity.

Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) has pledged to amend ENDA to restore thatprovision, a move some fear would doom the measure. A broad coalition ofabout 300 gay and trans rights groups opposes the version passed today.

The Blade had a reporter at today's markup hearing. Check back for a fullreport on the vote later today.



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National Gay News

http://nationalgaynews.com/

Go to the link, above, to read the following articles:

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[Atlanta] A shooting at approximately 3 a.m Friday morning in front ofWETbar is being investigated as an anti-gay hate crime by the Atlanta PoliceDepartment. Officer Darlene Harris, the APD LGBT liaison, said the shootingthat injured one person is "definitely going to be considered a hate crime."

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J. C. Penney Co. Inc was honored at this year's Corporate Equality IndexAwards for the Company's perfect score on the 2007 Human Rights Campaign(HRC) Corporate Equality Index. The index is the only nationally recognizedmeasure of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) workplace equality.

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New York City and London are top destinations among American gay and lesbiantravelers, according to the 12th Annual Gay & Lesbian Tourism Surveyconducted by Community Marketing, Inc. (CMI). Canada, where gay marriage islegal, dominates the international list with three of the top 10destinations.

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Children living with AIDS suffer everyday, but with a little help fromabroad, it could make their lives more comfortable. Of the estimated 2.3million children younger than 15 living with HIV in the world, 2 millionlive in sub-Saharan Africa, according to the United Nations InternationalChildren's Emergency Fund, or UNICEF.



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The Advocate

http://advocate.com/news_detail_ektid49872.asp

"Values Voters" Anarchy Good News for Gays

10/20/07-10/22/07

The fractured coalition of Christian conservatives is meeting in Washington,D.C., on Friday and Saturday for a "Values Voters Summit," to be cappedSaturday evening by a straw poll of the 2,500 participants.

At a meeting of conservative leaders last month in Salt Lake City, the 50 orso big names in Christian activism agreed to keep their personalendorsements to themselves until after Saturday's straw poll.

The leaders are scheduled to go into closed session Sunday, presumably todebate how best to consolidate and wield their political power.

But if media reports are to be believed, consolidating the far-right votemay be wishful thinking this primary season. Christian right voters aresplit among five candidates, and their leaders have so far been unable toagree even on the top criteria to evaluate the contestants.

Such divisions work to the benefit of LGBT people, diminishing if not yetconquering the voices of the country's most virulently antigay spokespeople.

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The Advocate

http://advocate.com/news_detail_ektid49863.asp

DNA Nobelist Who Suggested Gays Could Be Aborted Says Blacks Are Inferior

10/20/07-10/22/07

James Watson, the 79-year-old scientific icon made famous by his work onDNA, has set off an international furor with comments to a London newspaperabout intelligence levels among blacks.

The renowned Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, where Watson served aschancellor, suspended his administrative responsibilities Thursday followingthe outcry, the laboratory said in a news release.

Watson has a history of provocative statements about social implications ofscience. But several friends said Thursday he is no racist.

And Watson, who won a Nobel Prize in 1962 for codiscovering the structure ofDNA, apologized and says he is ''mortified.''

A profile of Watson in the Sunday Times Magazine of London quoted him assaying that he's ''inherently gloomy about the prospect of Africa'' because''all our social policies are based on the fact that their intelligence isthe same as ours -- whereas all the testing says not really.''

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The Advocate

http://advocate.com/news_detail_ektid49862.asp

Clinton Denounces Bush's Family Planning Appointment

10/20/07-10/22/07

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton joined birth control advocates Thursday indemanding that the Bush administration withdraw an appointment that placesfederal family planning funds under the control of a woman they considerhostile to contraception programs.

Susan Orr, who has been one of the top Department of Health and HumanServices officials dealing with child welfare, was appointed this week asthe agency's acting deputy assistant secretary for population affairs. Thatputs her in charge of $283 million in 2007 federal funding for a range offamily planning services as well as funding for abstinence education.

Clinton, the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, saidOrr's appointment ''sends a message to women that ideology trumps women'shealth.''

''It's beyond satire to see what this administration has once again done,''Clinton said during a phone-in news conference. ''It's the fox guarding thehenhouse when it comes to family planning.''

Orr worked in Health and Human Services as a child welfare specialist duringBill Clinton's presidency and later served as senior director for marriageand family at the Family Research Council, a conservative advocacy groupthat supports abstinence-only education and often opposes initiatives tobroaden access to contraception.

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The Advocate

http://advocate.com/news_detail_ektid49875.asp

Ellen Cancels Tapings After Dog Ordeal

Ellen DeGeneres's talk show was put on hold for a day because of heremotionally wrenching dog-adoption drama.

''It's been a long week and a tough week, and we decided to take a longweekend and be back on Tuesday,'' said Laura Mandel, a spokeswoman forTelepictures Productions, which produces The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

DeGeneres was scheduled Thursday to tape shows to air Friday and Monday.Instead, the tapings were canceled, and reruns featuring Jessica Alba andQueen Latifah will air on those days. A new show is planned for nextTuesday.

The battle over Iggy, a Brussels Griffon terrier mix, pitted DeGeneresagainst an animal rescue agency and at one point had her in tears on hershow. The agency's owners complained of receiving death threats over thedispute.

DeGeneres adopted the dog, then gave it to her hairstylist's family afterthe dog, despite training, couldn't get along with the comedian's cats, herpublicist said.

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The Advocate

http://advocate.com/news_detail_ektid49861.asp

San Francisco Mulls Safe-Injection Room

10/20/07-10/22/07

City health officials took steps Thursday toward opening the nation's firstlegal safe-injection room, where addicts could shoot up heroin, cocaine, andother drugs under the supervision of nurses.

Hoping to reduce San Francisco's high rate of fatal drug overdoses, thepublic health department cosponsored a symposium on the only such facilityin North America, a four-year-old Vancouver site where an estimated 700intravenous users a day self-administer narcotics under the supervision ofnurses.

''Having the conversation today will help us figure out whether this is away to reduce the harms and improve the health of our community,'' saidGrant Colfax, director of HIV prevention for the San Francisco Department ofPublic Health.

Organizers of the daylong forum, which also included a coalition ofnonprofit health and social service groups, acknowledge that it could takeyears to get an injection center up and running. Along with legal hurdles atthe state and federal level, such an effort would be almost sure to facepolitical opposition.

Bertha Madras, deputy director of demand reduction for the White HouseOffice of National Drug Control Policy, called San Francisco's considerationof such a facility ''disconcerting'' and ''poor public policy.''

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To Form a More Perfect Union: Marriage Equality News

http://samesexmarriage.typepad.com/weblog/

Go to the website, above, for the following articles:

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The Michigan Supreme Court is preparing to hear oral arguments in Novemberon whether Proposal 2, passed in 2004, prohibits government institutions,including cities and universities, from offering benefits to the domesticpartners of their employees. And both sides are returning to the debate thatlead up to its passage. In July 2004, there was no hotter political issue inthe nation than same-sex marriage. There were referenda on the ballot ineleven states to ban same-sex marriage that fall, including Michigan'sProposal 2.

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The mood was celebratory, but with a twinge of anxiety, for roughly 60people who gathered in Eugene on Thursday night to learn more about two newgay rights laws approved by the state Legislature earlier this year. One ofthe laws extends domestic partnership benefits, which are similar tomarriage rights, to same-sex couples. The other prohibits discrimination onthe basis of sexual orientation.

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New Jersey:
A pro-marriage rally will be held 3-5 p.m. Sunday on the steps of thestate's capital building. Christian leaders from across the state willshare their views. "Study after study proves that one-man, one-womanmarriage remains the healthiest mainstay for families and society," said LenDeo, president of the New Jersey Family Policy Council, the organizer of therally. "The New Jersey Legislature granted the rights and benefits that thesame-sex couples said they wanted. Clearly, that is not what they reallywanted."



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Queerty.com

http://www.queerty.com/queerty/the-20-most-frightful-anti-gay-activists-20071015/1/

Monsters and ghouls roam this American land, friends. Some of the mostfrightening ghouls in history currently stalk our streets, looking for gaysous to squash and civil rights to crash. Since sequels always have moregore, we're featuring some of the foulest, gnarliest anti-gay activists.And, as you can see, we're starting with the most hellish homo-hater: FredPhelps.

Who hasn't had a nightmare about Fred Phelps, the frighteningly fertilegranddaddy of the Westboro Baptist Church? With nine equally hatefulchildren - four had the sense to leave his ugly cloud - Phelps hasestablished his church as one of the most vile, controversial organizationsin America. The crew's known for singing such inane slogans as "God HatesFags" and "AIDS Cures Gays". They've also taken to picketing soldier'sdeaths, because, apparently, God hates America. Also, the big G-man hatesSweden, too.

In a 1999 press release, Phelps' WBC asserted: "It's NOT OK to be gay. Itwill damn the soul, destroy the life, and doom any nation that toleratessuch evil. God Hates Fags is a profound theological statement, which Americaneeds more than it needs oxygen or bread." Oxygen and sustenance arenecessary to sustaining mammalia.

Perhaps that explains Phelps and company's disdain for human dignity,compassion and rationality: they're lizard people.

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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

http://gaycitynews.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18932556&BRD=2729&PAG=461&dept_id=569341&rfi=6

Shocking Prison Homophobia

By: ARTHUR S. LEONARD
10/18/2007

A decision released by the New York State Division of Human Rights onOctober 11 exposes shocking homophobia among supervisory staff at the WendeCorrectional Facility near Buffalo, operated by the New York StateDepartment of Correctional Services.

The Division awarded $850,000 in compensation for mental anguish andhumiliation to a lesbian correctional officer whose abusive treatment at thehands of a male co-worker was tolerated by supervisors and managers, whoallowed the abusive co-worker to initiate retaliation when she formallycomplained.

On October 15 Correctional Services announced that it would seek judicialreview of the Human Rights ruling, but has given no indication of what stepsit is prepared to take to address the problems this case exposes.

Human Rights Commissioner Kumiki Gibson approved a 23-page opinion byAdministrative Law Judge Martin Erazo, Jr., which relates in detail the yearof living hell to which Alicia S. Humig was subjected by Jim Wright, aco-worker who began his abuse in July 2002 after she complained to hersupervisor, Captain Martin Kearney, that Wright had falsely accused her ofhaving an "improper relationship" with a male inmate. Wright had askedKearney to remove the inmate in question from Humig's control because theywere "too close."

As a result of Humig's complaint, Erazo found, Wright subjected her to astream of homophobic and sexist vituperation that lasted for a full year,despite Humig's complaints and despite belated counseling of Wright. Inaddition, Erazo found, Wright placed Humig in dangerous situations bycomments he made in the presence of inmates, and took steps to alienateother guards from her, so that Humig feared they would not come to herassistance in case of trouble with inmates.

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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

http://www.sovo.com/2007/10-19/news/localnews/7588.cfm

'You can't be a people unless you have history'
Looking back at Atl's queer past

By RYAN LEE
Oct. 19, 2007

Atlanta has long had a large gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgenderpopulation, but its current status as a Gay Mecca was decades in the making.Although at times invisible, the history of gay Atlanta played key roles inthe black civil rights movement, the building of a vibrant gay social andpolitical scene, and even one of the world's first circuit parties.

In honor of October's Gay History Month, Southern Voice traces Atlanta's gayhistory in this issue and spotlights local projects that are collectingpersonal papers, videotapes, advertising flyers and other memorabilia in anattempt to capture the city's rich gay past.

As local lesbian pioneer Maria Helena Dolan said in a 2004 speech at AtlantaGay Pride, preserving gay history helps ensure that gay Americans neverreturn to the invisibility they existed in prior to the 1969 Stonewall Riot,often considered the starting point for the modern gay rights movement.

"You can't be a people unless you have history," Dolan said. "And no onewill or can do it for us."



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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

http://www.pridesource.com/digestarticle.shtml?article=27372

Gay Racers Go Cross Country For Missing Children

Between The Lines Newspaper
From issue number 1542
Return to PrideSource
Originally printed 10/18/2007

Out racecar driver and auto enthusiast team up with Saab for The FireballRun

The Fireball Run, a cross-country race where 100 drivers trek from Orlandoto Los Angeles, sounds like a take-off of the hit 1980 film The CannonballRun. This 3,500-mile long adventure of a lifetime has a new entry this yearthat is adding some diversity to the colorful cast of characters competingfor the first-place honors. Out racecar driver Evan Darling andGaywheels.com founder and CEO Joe LaMuraglia will be racing in a Saab 9-3convertible as Team G.L.A.M. in this year's run.

"I can't wait to get out there and rip on the open road across country inthe Saab 9-3," said Darling, whose career in racing has spanned more than 14years. "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for us to race for a goodcause in a great car and let people know that a couple of gay guys do know athing or two about cars."

Team G.L.A.M. (Gay & Lesbian Automotive Maniacs) is the first openly gayteam to compete in an event of this kind. Sponsored by Gaywheels.com, SaabAutomobile USA and GLEE.com (a gay and lesbian social networking site) theteam of Darling and LaMuraglia will be racing to raise awareness of missingchildren, the designated charity for the Fireball Run.

Their car will sport a decal of 7-year-old Jonah Ferrell from Clarksburg,West Virginia, who has been missing since May 2007. In each of the citiesthey stop in along the route, they will put up posters and hand out flyersto help in the search for Jonah. Each of the teams in the Fireball Run willbe racing for their own individual child.

"Gaywheels.com not only educates lesbian and gay consumers aboutgay-friendly automakers, but also relishes the opportunity to show the worldthat we are as avid about automobiles as any other enthusiast," saidLaMuraglia. "There is no better way to do that than by taking the checkeredflag in this year's Fireball Run."

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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

http://www.pridesource.com/digestarticle.shtml?article=27421

2007 Midwest Trans youth conference coming

Originally printed 10/18/2007
Between The Lines Newspaper
From issue number 1542
Return to PrideSource

FERNDALE- Youth leaders and activists from around the Midwest will convergeat Affirmations Community Center in Ferndale around the theme,"Revolutionary Voices, Transforming Choices" at the first Midwest TransYouth Conference, October 19-21.

The conference is dedicated to transgender, gender non-conforming,questioning and allied youth ages 24 and under and addresses the lack ofresources, support and community that transgender youth in the Midwest oftenface. It will provide an opportunity to join other youth leaders andactivists to build skills and know-how through engaging workshops andcaucuses, and to tackle the issues of equal rights, equal access and healthin our community.

"The Midwest Trans Youth Conference is a unique opportunity for youth. Bybringing everyone together, we can start to organize for real change," saysJay Botsford, Conference Organizer from Project Q.

Workshops such as, "Where is the 'T' in GSA?" and "Know Your Rights," amini-film festival and entertainment by Tranny Road Show promise an excitingand empowering experience. In addition, the National Transgender EducationProject will be offering a "Train the Trainers" session for professionalsworking with transgender youth.

For more information about the 2007 Midwest Trans Youth Conference, visitwww.GoAffirmations.org.



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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=glbt&sc2=news&sc3=&id=23800

Canadian Soliders Jailed for Attacking Gay Man, Cleared of Bashing Charges

by Chrys Hudson
Gaywired.com
Thursday Oct 18, 2007

A pair of Canadian soldiers have been given jail time for attacking a gayman in Amsterdam earlier this year, though the judge in the case ruled thatthe men did not target the victim because of his sexual orientation.

According to press reports, the Amsterdam District Court found that themen-Eric Wright and Ryan Dowie, both 22-"openly and in unison used violenceagainst the victim and his boyfriend," which included fracturing the victim'sskull and breaking his nose.

Although the soldiers, who were sentenced to five months and 45 days injail, respectively, called the 28-year-old victim "gay" and "a fag" duringthe attack, the court said it "sees no reason to doubt the declaration ofthe suspects that they didn't even know the victim and his friends werehomosexual until they were informed of this by the police after theincident," according to global news network Agence France-Press.

The attack, which occurred in May, was highly publicized in the Dutch newsmedia because it was perceived to be part of an increase of "gay bashing"hate crimes.



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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-5803.html

Singapore gay rights drive meets opposition

19th October 2007 13:20
PinkNews.co.uk writer

A group calling itself "The Majority" has set up a website asking thegovernment of Singapore to retain laws outlawing homosexual sex.

An online letter to the country's Prime Minister asks him to "do what isright and retain Section 377A for the future of our children and ournation."

Laws established during colonial times mean that same-sex relationships arepunishable by fines and jail time.

Thousands of Singaporeans have signed an online petition calling for thegovernment to decriminalise homosexual sex, ahead of a parliamentary debateon the first overhaul of criminal law in Singapore in a quarter century.

Parliament is expected to discuss a motion next week tabled by MP Siew KumHong repealing the laws that make gay sex a crime.

more . . . . .



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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-5804.html

Bahamas police accused of harassing gay tourists

19th October 2007 13:40
Joe Roberts

A gay cruise-ship operator is demanding a public apology from the RoyalBahamas Police after they raided a party for LGBT tourists.

DaJuan Xavier, Executive Director of Ebony Pyramid Entertainment, called theincident, which happened on Saturday October 6th at the Hard Rock Café inNassau, an attempt "to harass, intimidate, and frighten."

According to the Nassau Guardian, Mr Xavier reported the incident to the USembassy and is now preparing to make his request to police.

He will also seek assurances from the Ministry of Tourism that it will nothappen again.

"This could not have been a routine patrol with a few police officersinvestigating a random situation," said Mr Xavier.

"This was a full drawn out 'raid.' Someone, along with the local policetargeted us.

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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

Wiltshire England

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-5801.html

Landlord prosecuted over homophobic pub sign

19th October 2007 12:29
PinkNews.co.uk writer

The landlord of a Wiltshire pub who allowed a homophobic sign to bedisplayed outside his premises has been found guilty of public order offenceat Chippenham Magistrates Court.

The pub's former landlords John Williams, 40, and his 26-year-old partnerLee Skaife believed the sign, which read 'faggots and mince not on themenu,' referred to them. They made a formal complaint to police.

Mr Williams and Mr Skaife left the Anchor and Hope pub in Trowbridge,Wiltshire, in September 2006 after 15 months at the helm.

New landlord Adrian Taylor, 54, has been fined £500 by magistrates.

He said that he did not write the sign, which appeared a few days after hetook over the pub, but found it amusing and did not remove it.

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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-5772.html

No resignations over gay personnel says Navy

17th October 2007 10:10
Tony Grew

The Royal Navy's equality and diversity officer has said there is noevidence that anyone left the service in protest at gay men and lesbiansbeing allowed to serve openly.

In 2000, the government removed the ban on gay, lesbian and bisexual peoplein the Armed Forces.

A document obtained under the Freedom of Information Act appeared to shedlight on the worries some military personnel had.

A review by the Service Personnel Board from 2002, obtained by The Times,claimed that some had left the Navy over the issue and listed concerns overheterosexuals having to share showers and accommodation with gay servicemenand women.

However, Commander Graham Beard, speaking on behalf of the Royal Navy, saidhe had seen no evidence of staff resignations over the issue of gaypersonnel.

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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

CitizenChris.typepad.com

http://citizenchris.typepad.com/citizenchris/2007/10/lambda-legals-p.html

Lambda Legal's political response

I would like to thank Jon Davidson, the Legal Director of Lambda Legal, fortaking the time to respond to my post about his organization's claim that atrans-free Employment Non-Discrimination Act will not protect gay workerswell either.

Lambda Legal is almost alone among the leading national gay groups inengaging in dialogue with those of us who favor the ENDA compromise offeredby Barney Frank, and they deserve great credit for doing so. One would hopethat any group claiming to represent GLBT interests would commit to dialoguewith their constituents, but it remains a relative rarity. (Another notableexception is Immigration Equality, which unlike the Human Rights Campaignand almost every other national GLBT group, allows comments on its officialblog.)

Jon posted his response in a comment to that post, but I'd like tore-publish it here and offer my own thoughts. Here's what Jon wrote:

Given that Congressman Frank has stated that he does not expect the Senateeven to consider any version of ENDA this year and, that even if the Senatedid and passed such a bill, he doubts President Bush would sign it intolaw -- the real question before us all is what is the best way to moveforward toward the next time Congress will consider such legislation. Webelieve that that way is not in the politics of division -- pittinglesbians, gay men, and bisexuals against transgender people, as some havesought to do.

There would be a conflict of interest in doing that, just like there wouldbe if a law sought to protect lesbians but not gay men. But standing up fortransgender people does not harm lesbians, gay men and bisexuals -- andtherefore creates no conflict -- because (as Congressman Frank himselfadmits) no bill is being prevented from becoming law this year by doing so.Instead of continuing to fight one another, we all need to work for passageby the next Congress of the strongest bill we can get.

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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-md.funeral16oct16,0,5985697.story?track=rss

Suit OK'd against anti-gay group

Judge cuts scope of trial about protest at Marine's funeral
By Matthew Dolan
Sun reporter
October 16, 2007

The father claimed protesters destroyed his only chance to bury in peace theson he lost in Iraq. The picketers who carried signs with such messages as"Thank God for dead soldiers" countered they were only trying to oppose gaysin the military.

After the two sides presented legal arguments in a Baltimore courtroomyesterday, a federal judge offered a split decision. He ruled that a morelimited lawsuit brought by Albert Snyder, the father of the slain Marinewhose funeral was targeted by the Kansas-based anti-gay group, can proceedto trial next week.

At times incensed over what he described as long-winded theological speechesgiven by a member of Westboro Baptist Church, U.S. District Judge Richard D.Bennett nonetheless dismissed two of the five counts against the church andthree of its leaders, saying in part that their statements, no matter howincendiary, amounted to protected speech.

Comments posted on the church's Web site that Snyder raised his son "for the
adultery" did not defame the father because it was "not the kind ofinformation that a reasonable person is going to assume was presented to beconsidered fact," Bennett said.

In granting part of the defendants' motion for summary judgment, Bennettfound church members did not defame Lance Cpl. Matthew A. Snyder or hisfamily by implying that he was gay or raised by adulterers because hisparents divorced. Nor did the church members invade the family's privacy,the judge ruled, because their anti-gay and anti-divorce accusations werebased on a general expression of the church members' fundamentalist beliefs.

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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

ProudParenting.com

http://www.proudparenting.com/node/890

The daughter of a Massachusetts lesbian is abused and threatened at schoolafter she tells classmates about her family.

Virginia Gaffey's 9-year-old daughter was escorted around school by abodyguard - and eventually transferred to a different school - because ofcontinued harassment from schoolmates in her elementary school.

Gaffey claims that Milton Public Schools, in Massachusetts, are failing toteach students about tolerance and diversity,

"They were actually training my daughter to don't ask, don't tell when mydaughter was actually proud of her mom," Gaffey said.

The bullying started after the girl told her third grade class that her momis lesbian. Gaffey said her daughter's difficult time at school had aprofound effect, and she no longer feels comfortable discussing her familysituation. Gaffey also criticized as "insensitive" what she says was advicegiven by a counselor at school that her daughter be careful about whom shediscussed her family situation with.

Magdalene Giffune, Milton Schools Superintendent, denied the claim, sayingthat the assault on Gaffey's daughter never occurred, adding that toleranceof gay parents is taught to children. The Milton School Committee isreviewing its diversity policies.

more . . . . .



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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com


http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2007/10/transgender-teens-sen-sheila-kuehl.html

Transgender Teens, Sen. Sheila Kuehl Detail Threats Facing High SchoolStudents

October 17, 2007

LOS ANGELES - California high schools need to do more to protect transgenderstudents from demeaning and even violent situations. That's the message of aspecial California Senate hearing today in Los Angeles.

Five years after the shocking murder of 17-year-old Gwen Araujo in Newark,Calif., students, experts on transgender youth and state Sen. Sheila JamesKuehl, D-Santa Monica, will address efforts to make high schools safer fortransgender students.

Araujo's murder in October 2002 after an off-campus party sparked calls tocombat harassment of transgender students.

"No student in California should have to live with the fear of being abused,harassed or ridiculed simply because of their gender identity or sexualorientation," said Equality California Executive Director Geoff Kors.
"There's
a lack of understanding and knowledge about school safety issues fortransgender youth. Until we educate our school officials and the publicabout this important topic, young people in our schools will continue toface the threat of daily discrimination," Kors said.

Even when they don't face violence from others, teenagers who cross gendernorms have higher drop-out and suicide rates. "Transgender" is the umbrellaterm for a number of gender identities, including students who dress oridentify as members of the opposite sex or who have sought sex-changesurgery.

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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

http://www.forbes.com/business/2007/10/17/bacteria-antibiotics-cdc-biz-sci-cx_mh_1017bacteria.html

Antibiotics
Do Staph Bacteria Kill More People Than HIV?

Matthew Herper and Robert Langreth 10.17.07, 10:30 AM ET

Note: This story is adapted from two posts at The Science Business, our newblog covering the places where research and capitalism intersect.

A new estimate from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention saysdrug-resistant staphylococcus bacteria are killing more people than the AIDSvirus. So why aren't more drugs being developed to fight them?

The scary new estimate of the prevalence of methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a dangerous bacteria rampaging insidehospitals, comes from a study of regions in nine states and looks at theincidence of the germ in regions of nine states. It is published in thecurrent Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

The researchers calculate that there were that 94,360 cases of invasivemethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in 2005, three times higher thanan earlier estimate, and 18,650 of these patients died.

Most patients got sick outside the hospital, even when the case is due to astrain that is primarily circulating inside hospitals. This may indicatethat people become infected during a hospital visit but only develop severesymptoms later.

If MRSA is such a scourge, though, why haven't companies developing drugsthat fight it turned out to be better investments?

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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com


http://edgesanfrancisco.com/index.php?ci=70&ch=entertainment&sc=movies&sc2=features&sc3=&id=5600&PHPSESSID=a9ce7c76c7abaed1149dde8c9cc13e66

Documentary Tackles Thorniest Subject: Gays & Religion

by Ty Trapps
EDGE San Francisco Contributor
Thursday Oct 18, 2007

Religious doctrine has longed been used as a weapon against living ahomosexual lifestyle, but a Washington D.C. filmmaker intends to initiatedialogue by presenting real life stories of Christian homosexuals and howtheir families were able to make the journey towards tolerance andeventually acceptance.

The award-winning documentary film, For the Bible Tells Me So (reviewedelsewhere on this site) premiered to a packed theatre of gay and non-gayaudience members at Fort Lauderdale's Cinema Paradiso on Wednesday, Oct. 10.Immediately following the 90-feature, there was a discussion on the issuesaddressed in the documentary.

The Religion and Faith Panel consisted of local clergymen, Rev. DurrellWatkins from Sunshine Cathedral MCC in Fort Lauderdale, Rabbi HaroldCaminker from Etz Chaim in Wilton Manors and Rev. Tom Millner, senior pastorat Church of the Holy SpiritSong in Wilton Manors. Bob Greenbaum, the film'sexecutive producer, was also on the panel. Panelists agreed that thedocumentary would help clear up arguments and facilitate understandingbetween gays and religious leaders against homosexuality.

"This film is magnificent and has a great job to do in the community,"Caminker said. Caminker, who heads a Reformed Jewish synagogue here, addedthat several people's stories in the film, particularly that of EpiscopalianBishop Gene Robinson, were "like reliving a segment of my life."

The rabbi had been married for 18 years and had three daughters before hecame out to his family. "There are a lot of other people in churches andsynagogues who are in need of seeing this film," he said.

more . . . . .



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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

http://www.washblade.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=14851

Gays, trans left out of Nationals' anti-bias policy

Team says lawyers reviewing policy
By LOU CHIBBARO JR. | Oct 19, 5:56 PM

The president of the Washington Nationals has promised to take steps tochange the baseball team's non-discrimination policy for selecting vendorsafter gay activists learned that it leaves out protections for gays andtransgender persons.

Mario Acosta-Velez, president of the Gertrude Stein Democratic Club, saidWashington National President Stan Kasten called him Thursday in response toa letter Acosta sent him one day earlier reminding him that the vendorpolicy appears to violate the city's Human Rights Act.

Acosta-Velez serves as vice chair of the D.C. Commission on Human Rights, anindependent adjudicatory body that enforces the Human Rights Act.

"He said the legal counsel for the Nationals was working on this, at hisrequest," Acosta-Velez said. "He invited the Stein Club to work with him tosee that this issue gets resolved."

The issue first surfaced publicly Monday at the Stein Club's regularlyscheduled monthly meeting, when club member Phil Pannell announced that helearned about the omission of gays and transgender persons from theNationals' procurement policy more than a month ago, at a Ward 8 communitymeeting.

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